Studies have not been completed on specific vaccines and tics, with or without thimerosal, which has now been phased out of most, but not all, vaccines in the USA. It seems to be a well kept secret that research links vaccines containing thimerosal to tics.

Have you seen any articles in the media emphasizing thimerosal in vaccines as a cause of tics? Me neither, but we should have. In fact we are waiting for the national Tourette Syndrome Association to bring this issue of tics and thimerosal to the attention of the media and public. To date (September 2014) they have not done so.

This article summarizes four studies on the use of thimerosal in vaccines and its effect on neurodevelopmental delays. The research was published between 2004 and 2008.

It is striking that the development of tics was the most common consequence of thimerosal exposure based on the study of select conditions. We should point out that there is some controversy regarding the statistical approaches used in the different studies, particularly because some studies do not show a link to autism while others do.

To read the abstracts for each study, click on the links below. Our short summary is provided to show the consistent tic connection. As you will see, other neurological conditions were also found to be negatively affected by the thimerosal.

This discovery on the relationship between the toxin methylmercury and the development of tics is hugely important. First, it highlights the relationship between tics and neurotoxins. This should put families on alert that they should not only avoid all exposures to toxins but should also consider evaluation for toxic overload, with follow-up treatment plans developed as needed. Second, given the results of this research, thimerosal exposure should be avoided by those with tics and Tourette syndrome as well as pregnant women. It is currently standard in flu vaccines, but you can request to have the vaccine without the preservative thimerosal.

Don’t believe it? Read for yourself

Relative risks for neurodevelopmental disorders were calculated per increase of 12.5 micro g of estimated cumulative mercury exposure from TCVs in the first, third, and seventh months of life. Results: In phase I at HMO A, cumulative exposure at 3 months resulted in a significant positive association with tics. Verstraeten, Davis, DeStefano et al; Pediatrics. 2003 Nov;112(5):1039-48

Thimerosal exposure in infants and developmental disorders: a retrospective cohort study in the United kingdom does not support a causal association.

Thimerosal exposure in infants and developmental disorders: a retrospective cohort study in the United kingdom does not support a causal association. With the possible exception of tics, there was no evidence that thimerosal exposure via DTP/DT vaccines causes neurodevelopmental disorders. Andrews, Miller, Grant et al Pediatrics. 2004 Sep;114(3):584-91

Thimerosal exposure in infants and neurodevelopmental disorders: an assessment of computerized medical records in the Vaccine Safety Datalink.

Thank you very much for your sharing! Yes, indeed there seems to be a link to vaccines being implicated in tics and Tourette Syndrome like symptoms! This is especially true with vaccines contains Thimerosal (Methyl Mercury)!

Although it seems that vaccines containing Thimerosal are being phased out, they are perhaps being replaced with something even more deadly, in terms of side effects – aluminum hydroxide and related derivatives! This is true of vaccines such as Gardisil! Please see my postings and updates on LinkedIn!

Thimerosal is not just “being phased out” of vaccines for children. It’s been out of all of them for a decade or more, which is why you won’t be seeing any new research on the topic, since the exposure has ceased. The multi-dose influenza vaccine vial may contain thimerosal, but that’s not offered to children.

I would have to disagree that the thimersol has been eliminated or phased out of children’s vaccines for ANY length of time much less decades or more. I saw a video of a doctor who explained how he had a random test done on a “mercury-free” vaccine–can’t remember if it was the flu shot or what. Anyway, the vaccine came up mercury POSITIVE! It was NOT mercury free even though they said it was! Furthermore, when I researched it out for myself what was in the vaccines, I kept reading that there was no guarantee of any of the vaccines that used to contain Thimersol to be mercury free now. They kept saying that there may be “traces” of it in them. My doctor told me that these traces like .01 mcg (I believe that was the level I kept reading could be present) were toxic levels!

Tam, you are right that thimerosal is still present in some vaccines, especially flu vaccines. See this article by the CDC It is a preservative so it is included in flu multi-dose flu vaccines. But single dose versions are available and can be requested. Also the “trace amounts” are acknowledged by the CDC in the linked article: “no new vaccine licensed by FDA for use in children has contained thimerosal as a preservative and all vaccines routinely recommended by CDC for children younger than 6 years of age have been thimerosal-free, or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal, except for some formulations of influenza vaccine.

My son received a tetanus shot when he was about 12. Exactly one week later his arm at the injection site began to develop red bumps which gradually grew together into one red raised rash. By the next morning it was pretty big. Sometime later that year (I couldn’t not pinpoint how much time went by because I wasn’t thinking anything would happen) I began to see him have twitching and trembling in his arms when he was writing and the more I asked him to stop the more he did it. At first I thought he was doing it to “bug mom”. But I soon began to become worried as I noticed he also started having eye tics (out of sync blinking). As his mom I began to notice every out of sync movement he made and it seemed like he would stretch his arms often, etc. It wasn’t full blown but enough that I became very concerned about how people who hadn’t seen him would react. Eventually, the arm things went away but not the eye tics and I took him to an eye doctor and he said he had “dry” eyes. I kept thinking this was happening either because of stress from changes in our family (his sister getting married and moving away and his brother going to college) or from playing video games, so I had him stop for a couple of weeks and cut down on games for a while, but it didn’t eliminate the eye tics. Then one day “the light came on” and I wondered if this might be related to the Tetanus shot he received. Before this shot, the only vaccines he had received where right at his birth and then I stopped vaccinating him as I didn’t feel comfortable about it. But when he was 12 and got the tetanus shot, at this time I figured he was old enough to have any adverse affects so I thought he would be safe. He is now 14 and his eye tic is almost unnoticeable. I can notice it still but not to the point that I worry about others noticing it. The arm shaking and other body movements completely went away, but I am very concerned about him ever receiving any vaccines and having these adverse reactions come back. Just wanted to share our story and wondered if anyone else had a similar experience with the tetanus shot.

Hi bbmomof3, Over the years we have heard from a small number of people who noted tics starting up or being aggravated after a tetanus shot. As you could imagine, if people don’t even zero in on causes of tics, then there could be a reaction that isn’t even attributed to the shot because it’s not on their radar. Then again, many may receive a tetanus shot with no tic difficulty at all.

My 5 year old son had most all of his vaccinations by the time he started Kindergarten. However he was missing a few and after the first 2 weeks of school the teacher sent home a note saying if he didn’t get his remaining vaccinations he wouldn’t be allowed back to school. The next day I took him to get the remaining shots. About a week later he started clearing his throat repetitively. Then it changed to him twisting his head as if he was trying to get hair out of his eyes. I’m convinced these tics started as a result of his last set of vaccinations. He had never shown any signs of tics before that.

I did not give my son hep b vaccine or mmr. When the measle outbreak happened he was 5 so I gave him the Mmr. He too started throats clearing and blinking. Many tics have followed since. It’s been 2 years now and he has been diagnosed with chronic tic disorder. Possible Tourette’s:(

My 8 year old son developed tics 2/3 days after receiving a tetanus vaccine, ( adult dose at A&E after having a toenail removed). Just a coincidence? I seriously doubt it. More information is needed out there. He is currently receiving a herbal remedy from a health shop. The tics have subsided and are less frequent already after just a couple of days.

Thank you for your comment on your son’s apparent reaction to the tetanus vaccine. I agree that more information is needed. I’m so glad he is improving with the herbal remedy. Would you like to share what that remedy is? I hope he is doing well now.

Dear Ger, my daughter has been diagnosed with Tourettes starting at age 11. We do not medicate and are using natural remedies, I would so greatly appreciate if you could share the herbal remedy that you mentioned from the health shop.

Good Lord, I have been wondering why my DD had developed symptoms that mimic Tourette’s. That, along with the constant comments from teachers about her “lack of focus”, I was beyond perplexed in why, I nursed this child until she was THREE. I let myself be bullied into giving her more vaccinations than I wanted to give her and now I am regretting it.

As one doctor explained to me, the vaccines threw my kids’ immune system off balance and sent it into autoimmune response. My children were later diagnosed with PANDAS and the tics come back with every flare.

My son had his first flu shot (not mist) at age 7. He began developing tics after this vaccine, throat clearing, repeating phrases, screaming, shoulder shrugging. I researched and saw many specialists, finally being successful with his psychiatrist who put him on anxiety medication. I came to the conclusion Tourette’s is hereditary as his aunt has the same symptoms, and wrote off the flu shot speculation. He’s now 11 years old and has improved tremendously. We even just took him off his 504 plan at school because of his great improvement. Then, I mistakenly took him to get a flu shot 3 weeks ago, after a little girl in our neighborhood died from the flu. His symptoms came back as bad as when they first started when he was 7. There is no doubt in my mind now, that the vaccination and his symptoms are related. I feel horrible I didn’t reopen the idea of the vaccination being the trigger and read into it more, before taking him for the flu shot. All I can hope for now it that he will continue to improve over time as in the past.

Brandy, I’m so sorry to read that your son has had this experience with his recent flu shot. Hopefully you will find ways to speed his recovery so that he is doing well once more. Please do let us know–and tell us if there is anything we can do to help.

My son developed tics since he was 5 years old, eye twitching, throat clearing, neck twitching, mouth twitching, head twisting, my doctor just said he’ll grow out of it, so I didn’t go see any doctors, just studied possible causes and treatments online, treated him with magnesium, but it only helped temporarily, 3 years later I made the connection with vaccines, but by that time I had him on a serious detox, no sugar, no milk, no candies, no processed foods and it finally went away, he’s been free of tics ever since, now he is 11 and up for the TDap shot that’s required for schools in California, even homeschools and I’m facing the horrible decision to go for it and try a natural vaccine with muscle therapy or oh yeah there is no other option in California. So I’m angry and scared. Also his tics got worse around his flu shots, but ever since he didn’t get any vaccinations he’s totally fine. I’m just desperately looking for help, even the natural doctors won’t give me a medical exemption, because tics are just not on the LIST, which sucks.